The leader on fuel importers

May 27, 2026 Features / Columnists, The GHK Lall Column

(Kaieteur News) – Pres. Ali is now on record. He made a stirring call to fuel importers and transport operators: go easy on the profits, take a little less, give the public a little more. Transport operators is the name for taxi and minibus drivers, and other public haulers. I lend my voice to the president’s call: give up something, so that other Guyanese can come in for something, however small. Things are so hard that any crumb, any tiny drop, makes a difference. Having joined with Pres. Ali in this free enterprise, profit pursuing, democracy, I now step forward to claim my pound of flesh.

In keeping with his call, Excellency Ali himself should set the example. With all seriousness, I urge Pres. Ali to consider taking a pay cut. I replicate his call to the people whose business is fuel, by calling upon him to voluntarily relinquish 30% of his monthly emoluments. He should take the lead, give it to charity. Next, he should press all government ministers to do similarly. While they are weighing my exhortation, everyone should go full circle and give up their cash grants. Why be that greedy, contribute to greater bloat? I face the facts: neither the president nor the ministers are going to starve, will not have a nice piece of their compensation package to put into the bank. How many Guyanese can say either one: not starve, able to save in this hard crude oil era?

I go further. Pres. Ali should lean on his friends in the private sector to be ready for a decent hike in the current minimum wage, that’s an unlivable indecency. It’s overdue. Not going to change the income statements of his private sector friends from soaring levels of annual profits to the tragedy of losses and going out of business. When there are huge profits, everyone should share. No one is talking about losses these days. Except for Guyanese left stranded at the foot of the national economic ladder, and with neither surplus or breakeven to report.

At the rate of current private profits in Guyana, a little less doesn’t mean going from eating imported caviar to eating local catfish. So, sacrificing and sharing is showing how much caring there is. I struggle to conceive of a better model of One Guyana.

Now, I go down to the nuts-and-bolts of giving up something, pursuant to the newest Ali inspiration. It’s where the real money is, the profit spigot. Put aside less billions in the national budget (or upcoming supplementary ones) for public works infrastructure. No contractor is going to experience a profit seizure. Involved parties, such as helpful politicians and nearby public servants, are not going to lose weight (or sleep), from having to accept a smaller cut. Less billions for the few translate to more billions for the many. They have many uses for those, Mr. Pres. Remember the only monthly allowance open to the poor and struggling in Guyana is how of a much grace period the landlord or bank is willing to extend to them.

Frankly, I’m really excited about the idea of Excellency Ali impressing on others (fuel men and gasoline users) to be considerate and do their part to relieve deep local pain. The PPP Govt. did its part with Excise Tax(es) slashed to the bone. Hence, beneficiaries of that long-running policy should do their own profit slashing, as part of their giving back. Bread would cost less. Medicine runs cheaper. Why kick those Guyanese who are already down? Those for whom transportation is a tidy slice out of their already paltry earnings, particularly when schoolchildren are part of the family.

My position is simple. When the big people give up, the little people get up. If only life could be so cooperative.

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of this newspaper.)

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GHK Lall

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